1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a performance apparatus that generates sound by transmitting the vibration of at least one vibration generating part to sound boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a performance apparatus, such as a music box, that vibrates vibration generators such as reeds, transfers the vibration of the vibration generators to sound boards, to thereby generates sound is known. Also, a performance apparatus which is provided with an adjusting device disposed between each vibration generator and its associated sound board and allows the area of contact between the two parts to be manually adjusted, and thus volume and the like are adjustable is known.
However, these conventional performance apparatuses only change the area of contact between the vibration generator and the sound board and hence can only allow sounding characteristics such as change in volume to be simply changed. Thus, the conventional performance apparatuses remain to be improved so as to enable a variety of sounding characteristics to be obtained by finer variable control of tone color and volume.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a performance apparatus which is capable of performing fine variable control of musical tone parameters so as to obtain a variety of sounding characteristics.
To attain the above object, the invention provides a performance apparatus comprising at least one vibration generating part that generates vibration, a plurality of sound boards, a plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms interposed between respective ones of the plurality of sound boards and the vibration generating part in association with the respective ones of the plurality of sound boards, the plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms being operable to bring respective associated ones of the sound boards and the vibration generating part into a coupled state, to thereby transmit vibration of the vibration generating part to the respective associated ones of the sound boards, and an instruction device that gives an instruction selectively to one of the plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms to operate, whereby vibration of the vibration generating part is transmitted to one of the sound boards that is coupled to the vibration generating part, to cause the one of the sound boards to vibrate to generate sound.
With this arrangement, one of the plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms, to which the instruction have been given, are operable to bring respective associated ones of the sound boards and the vibration generating part into a coupled state, whereby vibration of the vibration generating part is transmitted to one of the sound boards that is coupled to the vibration generating part, to cause the one of the sound boards to vibrate to generate sound. Accordingly, sounding characteristics can be changed variously.
Preferably, the performance apparatus comprises a plurality of magnetic parts each provided on one of the vibration generating part and a corresponding one of the sound boards, and wherein the plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms each comprise one end and another end, the one end of each of the vibration transmission mechanisms is fixedly mounted on the one of the vibration generating part and the corresponding one of the sound boards, the other end of each of the vibration transmission mechanisms is disposed in proximity to a corresponding one of the magnetic parts, whereby each of the vibration transmission mechanisms operates in response to the instruction from the instruction device, for having the other end thereof electromagnetically attracts the corresponding one of the magnetic parts, to bring the vibration generating part and the corresponding one of the sound boards into the coupled state.
Preferably, the performance apparatus comprises a plurality of damping parts, and wherein the other end of each of the vibration transmission mechanisms and the corresponding one of the magnetic parts have respective parts which face each other, and one of the damping parts is provided on at least one of the other end of each of the vibration transmission mechanisms and the corresponding one of the magnetic parts.
Preferably, in the performance apparatus, the vibration generating part is operable based on performance data, for generating vibration, and the instruction device is responsive to a predetermined command corresponding to the performance data, for giving the instruction.
Preferably, in the performance apparatus, the instruction device gives the instruction to each of the vibration transmission mechanisms to change strength of coupling of the vibration generating part and the corresponding one of the sound boards so as to adjust sounding volume.
Preferably, in the performance apparatus, the instruction device gives the instruction to each of the vibration transmission mechanisms to change with time a degree of coupling of the vibration generating part and the corresponding one of the sound boards so as to provide a modulation effect while the vibration generating part is generating vibration.
Preferably, the performance apparatus further comprises an operation element operatable for causing the instruction device to give the instruction.
Preferably, in the performance apparatus, when the instruction device gives instructions to the plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms to operate, the plurality of vibration transmission mechanisms are operated simultaneously to resonate a plurality of corresponding sound boards at the same time.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.